American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN (E): 2832-8019 Volume 14, | July, 2023 P a g e | 136 www.americanjournal.org VICTIMS OF THE REPRESSION OF THE “COTTON AFFAIR” IN UZBEKISTAN (In the case of Navoi region) Jonibek Mustafaev, Researcher of Navoi State Pedagogical University Email: jonibekmustafa@mail.ru A B S T R A C T K E Y W O R D S This article presents information about the negative impact on the socio-economic life of society and the severe tragic consequences as a result of illegal actions carried out during the period of repression against the “Cotton affair” in Uzbekistan, in particular, in the Navoi region. The investigation team led by Gdlyan uses illegal methods in the investigation process and makes false accusations against the accused. The article analyzes the violation of the rights and freedoms of the accused, who were unjustly punished as criminals and caused suffering, using the example of victims of repression. “Cotton business”, repressive policy, investigative group, illegal investigation, false accusation, violation of human rights, bribery, slander, disadvantaged families, poor life, tragic consequences. Introduction During the repressive policy pursued by the Soviets in the 80s of the XX century, innocent people were mercilessly tortured and suffered in the Navoi region, as in the whole republic. The investigation team led by Gdlyan used illegal methods and used physical and moral torture against the accused for years. These repressions differ from other repressions in that they cover not only cotton growing, but also all industries, and the Uzbek people are to blame for everything. The repressive policy carried out by the center in Uzbekistan had a negative impact on the socio-economic life of the republic and entailed a number of tragic consequences. The activities of the investigative group of the USSR Prosecutor's Office disrupted the socio-economic life of a significant part of the population of Uzbekistan. According to the members of the commission set up to study materials related to the activities of the investigative group of the head of T. Gdlyan, when Gdlyan and his associates got acquainted with the living conditions of villagers and farmers, they saw that people were living in poverty, that the peasant had nothing but a bed, and that poverty held people tightly. The use of such insulting words as "thief", "robber", "bribe taker" in relation to the honor of such a patient and persistent people is nothing but moral poverty and arrogance. Gdlyan brutally oppressed working families, to the point of skin loss [1]. For example, O. Karboev, one of the heads of the investigation team in the Navoi region, came to the house of Fayzullo Rakhmatullayev with a search, saw that the accused's house was in a dilapidated state, there was no furniture in the house, there was no furniture in the house, the floor of the house was covered with carpets, and even his wife did not have a simple ring on her hand, he got up and searched for treasure. Two days ago, F. Rakhmatullayev put his American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 137 www.americanjournal.org monthly salary of 120 soums and a bunch of small coins in a red handkerchief and put them in a chest. The head of the investigation team found a bunch of small handkerchiefs and was glad that “at last we found the money that you hid”. The difficulties faced by family members of prisoners for cotton work were no less than those of convicts. The defendants' parents were powerless before illegal situations, suffered from mental depression and various serious illnesses due to abuse of children and family members. The relatives summoned for questioning were treated as “enemies of the state, father, mother, wife or close relative of the traitor”. In a petition written by Orzigul Umirzakova, the husband of Khurram Umirzakova, who became a victim of Soviet repression, to the chairman of the Women's Council of the Uzbek SSR Alimova, she said that her husband was unjustly imprisoned, and that the family did not receive a single sum of income because of her husband's convicted actions, knowing that he was sentenced to obey the orders of a higher party bosses. Although during the investigation it was proved that he had not acquired any fortune, he became a criminal illegally because of the unilateral actions of the investigators. Orzigul Umirzakova in her statement: “I am not healthy, my 75-year-old mother-in-law and 6 young children were left without breadwinners. I am a poor Uzbek woman - my tooth fell out and I remember that I was in a cotton field, all my life and energy went to cotton, which is white, but black inside. My six young children, who are under my care, were also born in a cotton field and grow up here. Please, if you want my children to become worthy Soviet citizens, help them save their father from prison” [3] shows the true face of Soviet society. Mukhabbat Bekmurodova, the husband of Gaibulla Bekmurodova, wrote to a member of the board of the Navoi Regional Court X. To Yavkachev, that after the unjust imprisonment of her husband, their marital status will become extremely difficult. When she was six months pregnant, neither she, nor her 71-year-old mother-in-law, nor her 6 young children could afford to bring a single bag from anywhere. M. Bekmuradova buys wool on credit, knits socks from it, brings flour so that the children do not starve, and survives the winter only at the expense of stale bread. No matter how difficult it was, they brought silkworm seeds to pregnant women and went out at night with young children to beat the leaves to feed the worm. In addition, M. Bekmuradova, a yellow fever patient with a young child in her arms, demands a court review of her husband's case [4]. Mukar Safarova, the wife of Ismat Safarov, accused under articles 1191, 149 and other articles of the Criminal Code of the Uzbek SSR, wrote in her statement to the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Uzbek SSR that her household was deteriorating every day after her husband was imprisoned, that she was pregnant and could not feed her elderly mother-in-law and 4 children. she will earn a living in the future, and she turns to her husband with a request to help in connection with the current situation [5]. Investigators confiscated a cow from the elderly parents of Khurram Umirzakov and 6 young children at the expense of the collective farm. During the investigation , investigator R.Rosiev told Umirzakov that “if you voluntarily hand over the money to the state, then your crime will be reduced and you will be given a lenient punishment”, although he did not use it, he borrowed 3001 soums from friends and handed it over to the investigator. The investigator “digests” 50 soums, and sends the rest of the money as material evidence in a criminal case [6]. As in the whole republic, the spouses of the defendants in the “Cotton affair” were left without a breadwinner with four to ten children. In particular, Kurban Zaripov, the father of 10 children, Bahriddin Turobov, the father of 9 children, Hikmat Asadov, the father of 9 children, Bakhshullo Hamroev, the father of 11 children, Talib Safarov, the father of 4 children remained. without a American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 138 www.americanjournal.org breadwinner together with their children. After the unjust imprisonment of Kurban Zaripov, his ten children, his sick wife, three daughters of his brother who died as a result of a tractor accident, his widowed daughter-in-law and an old mother - the main breadwinner of the family were left without a breadwinner. [7]. In the appeal of Rustam Nurov, sentenced to 12 years in prison, the sentence was served in SIEM 64-20 Uchkuduk, which states that the house with a thatched roof built by his father in 1969-1970 does not even have a slate, that the spouse cannot work on a collective farm due to illness, that the maintenance of his 5 children provides his mother, Gavhar Nurova, 40 years old, wrote that he was forced to make ends meet in retirement in sum[8]. His family did not eat meat and junk food for a long time, and was forced to wear old clothes of relatives. The family of R. Nurov was simply ignored by the Soviet authorities, and the family survived only with the financial support of relatives [9]. U.Khidirov, who deceived investigators, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. From the driver of the director of the Navoi cotton gin plant, N.Navrozov U.Khidirov, they demand recognition that he saw the false reality that the director of the Zarafshan state farm, R.Khamraev, brought money under a bucket of grapes to the director of the plant. U.Khidirov's brother A. Khidirov was also summoned to the investigation, and the investigator said that he would receive 1400 soums from him, and in return his brother's criminal case would be closed. A.Khidirov collects the specified amount from his relatives and hands it over to people in civilian clothes in the specified place[10]. The amount received by the investigators will be immediately directed against the criminal case of U.Khidirov. Summing up, we can say that the political crises that took place during the period of repression against the “Cotton affair”, first of all, had a negative impact on social and economic life. The families of the persons accused by the investigation team were left without breadwinners and found themselves in an economically unprotected situation without social protection. During the search of the accused's house, in most cases, the last family expenses were cruelly taken away from him. The investigators, who were one of the main figures in the repression of the “cotton affair”, in their activities were reduced only to making open accusations and recognizing them at any cost. As a result, after the physical and mental torture inflicted on the accused, they were forced to “confess” to their false accusations. The brutal policy of repression did not benefit either the Center or the regime, but gave impetus to the rapid spread of the union. REFERENCES 1. Ковалев А. Халқ ҳақиқатни билмоғи зарур // Қишлоқ ҳақиқати, 1990 йил 30 январь. 2. This is taken from an interview with J. Mustafayeva with Fayzullo Rakhmatullayev, who lives in Navbakhor district of Navoi region on Olchin Street, house 149, Mehnat quarter. 13.08.2022 3. Navoi Regional Court Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts. Criminal case No. 31041, volume 4, P. 177-178. 4. Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts of Navoi Regional Court. Criminal case No. 31041, volume 4, P. 194-195. 5. Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts of Navoi Regional Court. Criminal case No. 25128, 14 volumes, P.261. 6. Navoi Regional Court Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts. Criminal case No. 31041, volume 4. P. 283. American Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences Volume 14, July, 2023 P a g e | 139 www.americanjournal.org 7. Navoi Regional Court Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts. Criminal case No. 31070, volume 1, P. 158. 8. Navoi Regional Court Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts. Criminal case No. 31042, volume 3, P.99. 9. From an interview with J. Mustafayeva with Rustam Nurov, a resident of 41 Yulduz Street, Sovungar quarter, Navbakhor district, Navoi region. 14.08.2022 10. Navoi Regional Court Departmental archive of district and city criminal courts. Criminal case No. 6753. Volume 8, P. 187. 11. Shokhjahon Rashidov. The Institute of the Second Secretary in the Uzbek SSR and the Colonial Policy of the Soviet Union. CENTRAL ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HISTORY, 4(4), 98-104.